Friday, August 24, 2012

Amina Figarova: Twelve

Amina Figarova, born in
Baku, Azerbaijan, was playing piano and composing at a very early
age. Her initial training was classical, as with many beginners, but
because her parents were jazz fans, she also was exposed to icons such as Louis
Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson. After schooling at the Baku
Conservatory, jazz became her primary interest; it subsequently dominated her
advanced studies at Rotterdam Conservatory and Boston’s Berklee College of
Music.

Figarova played extensively
at festivals and concerts around the world with her groups, but she didn’t
record her first CD (Attraction) until 1994. This new album is, aptly, her 12th
release, and the 12 tracks are her own compositions. They’re based on
places she has visited or resided, events that have been part of her life, or
individuals she has known or worked with.

The majority of her tunes
can be categorized as tone-poems; balladic tempos are the norm, and the
harmonic lines are relatively modern. The title tune resonates with
December — her birth month — the release of this album, and the 12/8 meter used
in the composition. In another composition, flavored by a beach-side
picnic with her husband (flautist Bart Platteau), “Sneaky Seagulls” attempt
to snatch bits of food from their table; the mood shifts to a happy, up-tempo
format.

All her songs make the
listener a part of the interesting, and full, life that she has lived.

Figarova’s sextet has been a
constant throughout her musical career. Platteau is an outstanding artist and
one of most tasteful masters of that instrument I’ve ever heard. As for the
rest, Ernie Hammes (trumpet and flugelhorn), Marc Mommaas (tenor and soprano
saxes), Jerden Vieroad (bass) and Chris Strik (drums) have been key elements in
most of her groups for years, and their talents meld wonderfully.

Figarova and her
group are at the top level of today’s jazz world, and they produce some of the
most interesting music you’ll ever hear. This is a must-have album.